I deleted my 118k-follower, verified Instagram account

If you're an entrepreneur, this may certainly be true.

But if you're someone who's success depends on staying top of mind, then social media is important. Actors and politicians come to mind. Both of course have to do other things too, but a large social media following will definitely boost them, especially for someone who isn't already super famous.

Look at what social media has done for AOC. I have a friend who is a successful working actor, has produced and starred in a couple of films. Her social media definitely drives business.

Pretty irrational and wasteful to just throw away a 100k verified account by deleting it.

Yeah I have no problem with people hustling and working hard to build something, and as with any other part of life, some will make it and some won't..

I'm just always left wondering, all this effort that so many young people pour into building their social media influence.. What does society get out of that in the end?

It feels like "not much" on a good day (and a lot of social debt on a bad day)..

And maybe this is just me becoming an old man (I'm in my early 40s), but it seems like a waste of a generation's energy and inspiration..

I don’t understand the strawman he is fighting, here. Who believes that having a lot of instagram followers creates business? Surely causation works in the other direction. Can anyone help me understand who claims otherwise?

There are a lot of people who believe that building a huge Instagram following is a core component to building businesses, especially in the fashion/fitness/lifestyle arenas. So much so that there are people out there calling themselves "entrepreneurs" who haven't actually done anything other than build a modest following and maybe hock someone else's brand to their followers in exchange for (maybe) a couple bucks.

I think part of this belief comes because a few people like @christianguzmanfitness have managed to build a following of over 1 million people which has enabled them to sell a lot of their clothing and travel and buy expensive cars and such. But that's very much the exception and not the rule.

I do think Ig can be a great tool to grow a brand on a shoestring budget, but I also agree with this article which challenges the all-to-popular notion that if you get a lot of followers on Ig you'll be rich and important.